TL;DR
- Obsession and Madness is the 58th main mission in Crimson Desert, Chapter 4 — Forbidden Knowledge
- It follows directly after the Spire of the Stars puzzle
- You arrive in a floating Abyss in the sky and must climb tall pillars using Axiom Force
- Use Hold L3 on yellow lights to activate pillars, then press L2 + Square/X to pull platforms
- At the top pillar with no path left, jump and spam Force Palm (R3) to propel yourself upward
- If you run out of Force Palm, press L3 + R3 to regenerate it
- Solving the puzzle triggers a cutscene that reveals Grundir as the one responsible for the rift
- Reward: +8 Contribution Levels to the Hernandian faction
What Is Obsession and Madness?
Obsession and Madness is the 58th main quest in Crimson Desert. It is part of Chapter 4 — The Price of Knowledge, in the sub-chapter called Forbidden Knowledge.
This quest starts automatically right after you complete the Spire of the Stars. When you enter the Abyss Rift at the top of the spire, Kliff is pulled into a surreal floating dimension — the Abyss in the sky. Your goal: climb to the top of the floating pillars and find out who is responsible for the rift.
Starting location: Hernand region → Scholastone Institute
Prerequisite: Finish the Spire of the Stars main quest
Reward: +8 Contribution Levels to the Hernandian faction
Before You Climb — One Important Tip
The moment you arrive in the Abyss, stand on the fast travel floor plate directly in front of where you entered. It glows on the ground.
This is your checkpoint. If you fall during the puzzle, open the map, switch to the sky map, and fast travel back to this plate. You will not need to restart from scratch.
The cold in this area drains stamina faster than normal. This matters a lot when climbing. Even if you have decent stamina upgrades, the cold will eat through it. Plan for this.
Objective 1 — Enter the Abyss
This objective completes automatically. The moment you step through the Abyss Rift at the top of the Spire of the Stars, you enter the Abyss. No action is needed.
You will see tall floating pillars rising above you, with platforms suspended between them. The objective marker appears high up in the sky.
Objective 2 — Find the One Responsible for the Rift
This is the main puzzle of the quest. You need to navigate the floating pillars using Axiom Force to move platforms and reach the top.
How the Puzzle Works
Each pillar has a yellow glowing light near its base. When you activate it with Axiom Force, the pillar releases a magnetic ball. This ball pulls nearby floating platforms toward it. You ride those platforms like floating elevators to move from pillar to pillar.
The key is activating pillars in the right order so the platforms always move to where you are standing.
Step-by-Step Puzzle Solution
Step 1
Stand on the starting platform (the one near the fast travel plate).
Hold L3 (Axiom Force) and aim at the yellow light on the back-left pillar.
Press L2 to cycle through nearby targets until the middle pillar glows blue.
Press Square (PS) / X (Xbox) to operate it.
The platform will move toward the middle pillar. Ride it there.
Step 2
From the middle pillar, step onto the left platform and activate Axiom Force again.
Press L2 to cycle until the left pillar glows blue.
Press Square / X to operate.
Ride the platform to the left pillar.
Step 3
From the left pillar, step onto the right platform and activate Axiom Force one more time.
Press L2 to cycle until the furthest left pillar glows blue.
Press Square / X to operate.
Ride the platform to the furthest left pillar.
Step 4 — The Trick to Reaching the Top
You are now on the last pillar. There are no more platforms. The top of the pillar is still above you.
Here is what you do:
- Jump (Square / A)
- While in the air, press R3 (Force Palm)
- This propels you upward
- Repeat — jump, then Force Palm — three times in a row
- Now you have enough height to grab the pillar and climb the rest of the way
This works even if you have zero stamina upgrades. The Force Palm launches you upward so you skip the hardest part of the climb.
Out of Force Palm? Press L3 + R3 at the same time to regenerate it instantly. Then go again: jump, Force Palm, jump, Force Palm, climb.
Step 5 — Reach the Central Platform
Once you reach the top of the pillar, jump across to the central platform in the middle of all the pillars.
On the central platform, you will find a golden mechanical device.
Jump, then use Force Palm (R3) in the air to strike it.
This activates the final mechanism and completes the puzzle.
What Happens After — Story Spoiler
After you activate the golden device, a cutscene plays. This is where the quest pays off.
The cutscene reveals that Dean Grundir is the one responsible for the rift and for what happened to Octavius. This is a major turning point in Chapter 4’s story, and sets up the next leg of the Forbidden Knowledge sub-chapter.
After the cutscene, the quest ends and you receive your reward.
Stamina Tips for This Quest
The Abyss environment drains stamina faster than the regular world due to the cold. Here is how to handle it:
- Use the Force Palm propulsion trick (Step 4) instead of raw climbing — it saves most of your stamina
- If you have food buffs active, keep one stamina-boosting meal ready
- If you have been investing in your attack build, you may not have spent much on stamina — the Force Palm trick is made for you
- You do not need stamina upgrades to complete this. The jump + Force Palm method is the intended workaround
If you want to invest in stamina going forward, check our guide on how to get skill points in Crimson Desert and our best skills to level up first list.
If You Fall During the Puzzle
Do not panic. Here is what to do:
- Open your map
- Switch to the sky map view
- Fast travel back to the floor plate at the start of the Abyss
- The pillar platforms reset, but you keep your progress on foot — just redo the Axiom Force steps
This is much faster than dying and retrying from scratch.
All Main Story Quests in Chapter 4
Obsession and Madness is one of several quests in the Forbidden Knowledge sub-chapter. If you want to see where this fits in the full story, check our complete list of all main story quests and chapters.
The quests just before and after this one are:
- Before: Spire of the Stars Puzzle Solution
- After: Casted Shadow (continues Chapter 4)
More Crimson Desert Walkthrough Guides
While you are in Chapter 4, these guides may also be useful:
- How to Beat Tenebrum
- Gate to the Otherworld Walkthrough
- How to Use Axiom Force
- Mysterious Energy Zones — Howling Hill
- How to Increase Attack Level
- How to Increase Defense Level
- Ice Resistance and Frost Protection Guide
- How to Fast Travel
More Puzzle Solutions
- Duskwood Ancient Ruins Puzzle
- Duskwood Checker Puzzle
- Haunted Hill Ruins Puzzle
- Abyss Without Balance Puzzle
- Dragon Stone Chamber Puzzle
- Arboria Forest Fountain Puzzle
- Hunter’s Cabin Graveyard Puzzle
- Sunrise Plains Ancient Ruins Puzzle
- How to Drain Water Puzzle
